Stuart Brioza began his culinary career at the age of 15, working in kitchens around the Bay Area from Danville to Palo Alto. Starting at the Blackhawk Grille when it opened in 1991, he realized quickly that cooking was to be his lifelong craft and passion. He spent the next several years learning “California Cuisine,” intermingling French technique, Asian flair, and Mediterranean simplicity.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Stuart worked with John Hogan at the Park Ave. Café in Chicago, and in 1998 was invited by John Hogan to help open Savarin restaurant. He was quickly elevated to Sous Chef and maintained the restaurant’s 3 star rating, given by the Chicago Tribune.

In the spring of 2000, Stuart accepted an Executive Chef position at the legendary Tapawingo, in Ellsworth MI, owned by Harlan “Pete” Peterson. It was there that he developed his own unique style of cooking, blending simplicity with seasonal and local foods.

In 2003, Stuart was named on of Food & Wine Magazine’s “10 Best New Chefs” of America. As quoted from R. W. Apple Jr. of the New York Times, “{Stuart} has an uncanny ability to synthesize elements of Asian and Mediterranean cuisines in a style that remains thoroughly American, and a particular gift for balancing strong flavors.”

Stuart left Michigan in autumn of 2003 to return to his home state of California and in spring of 2004, Stuart began working at Rubicon restaurant. In early 2005, the San Francisco Chronicle also named Stuart one of “2005’s Rising Star Chefs.”